Dumont's hat trick propels Predators to key victory

J-P Dumont recorded the fourth hat trick of his career — his first with the Nashville Predators — in a 5-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday at the Jobing.com Arena.

With the victory, Nashville moved into fifth place in the Western Conference standings, one point in front of Phoenix, which lost for the second time in as many days.

Dumont scored the game’s first goal at 8:16 of the opening period. He got the game-winner when he broke a 2-2 tie at 11:25 of the second period finished off the milestone with 2:25 to play in the second.

It had been nearly a decade since his last hat trick, Nov. 12, 2001, as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

The veteran forward had four goals in 40 games this season before he scored two Sunday in a loss at Chicago. Thus, he more than doubled his goal total for the season in the past two outings.

It was the 19th hat trick in franchise history, the first since Steve Sullivan scored three against Columbus on Dec. 14, 2009.

Rookie center Chris Mueller and recently recalled forward Matt Halischuk each assisted on two of Dumont’s goals. Mueller had no points in his first seven appearances but now has three assists, all on Dumont goals, in the last two games. Halischuk was recalled from Milwaukee on Sunday and made his Predators’ debut that day.

Patric Hornqvist scored Nashville’s other two goals and raised his team-leading total to 15. His first made it 2-0, 12 seconds after Dumont’s first. He then put the game out of reach when he scored with 5:31 remaining.

Nashville continues its six-game, 11-day road trip Thursday at Colorado. The Predators have played 26 road games, tied with Calgary for the most of any Western Conference team.